cannabisnews.com: Concerns Raised About Proposition 203 Pot





Concerns Raised About Proposition 203 Pot
Posted by CN Staff on September 28, 2002 at 11:55:14 PT
By Eric Weslander, Tucson Citizen
Source: Tucson Citizen 
When Dan Shapiro needed marijuana, it wasn't hard to find.Shapiro, now a University of Arizona psychiatry professor, was 20 when he learned he had cancer and started using medical marijuana to cope with nausea from chemotherapy. His source for the drug was his mother, who grew it in the back yard for her son."It's a weed. It's not hard to grow," Shapiro said.
Shapiro, like many Arizona residents, is puzzled by Proposition 203. The initiative, on the ballot this November, calls for state police to distribute free marijuana to people who have a doctor's recommendation.Police scoff at the idea because they say federal law prohibits it. Small-government types detest the centralized distribution scheme.Shapiro thinks it's weird because he saw how easy it was for his mom to grow her own."The supply is not the problem," said Shapiro, who wrote about his experiences in a book called "Mom's Marijuana: Insights About Living."Shapiro said the biggest problem with the bill is that cops would be using confiscated marijuana."Just as I wouldn't want drug dealers manufacturing aspirin, antibiotics or chemotherapy, I wouldn't trust them not to use pesticides and other toxins during the growth process," he said. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/local/elect02/9_28_02pol_note.htmlSource: Tucson Citizen (AZ)Author: Eric Weslander, Tucson CitizenPublished: September 28, 2002Copyright: 2002 Tucson CitizenContact: letters tucsoncitizen.comWebsite: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Dan Shapirohttp://www.danshapiro.org/203 Would Mandate Fines for Pot Smokershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14247.shtmlMarijuana Initiative Foes Fight 'Lie' http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13897.shtmlProp. 203: The Debate Over Pot Laws http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13869.shtmlA Doctor's Story of Hope, Humor and Deadly Cancerhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9734.shtml
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on October 07, 2002 at 13:22:20 PT
News Brief from The Tucson Citizen
Drug Czar Coming Here to Stump Against Prop. 203Oct. 7, 2002President George W. Bush's appointed drug czar John Walters will spread his message about the dangers of marijuana use and threats posed by legalizing the drug when he makes a stop in Tucson Wednesday (10-9). He will make an appearance at Vida Serena, 2835 N. Stone Ave., to discuss the health and social consequences of marijuana use, opposing the ballot initiative Proposition 203. "Voters should consider the facts when they're at the polls this November," said Walter's spokeswoman Jennifer de Vallance. 
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 29, 2002 at 11:16:27 PT
Politicans Answer Questions on Prop 203
Drug Initiatives Sept. 27, 2002 12:57 PMQuestion: Where do you stand on the two ballot propositions relating to drugs? Provisions of Proposition 203 include decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, making it a civil offense, and requiring the Department of Public Safety to distribute free marijuana for medical use. Proposition 302 expands a judge's ability to imprison drug offenders who now face only probation, including those who refuse treatment. Complete Article: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/special11/articles/0820quiz18-ON.html
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Comment #8 posted by afterburner on September 28, 2002 at 20:58:42 PT:
p4me
Here are some bumper stickers for US, for WE THE PEOPLE, some old some new, and it's not a song.don't do prohibitioncannabis healsmarijuana is medicinedon't abuse truthno lethal dose of THCthoughts are freeno more gulaghemp for adultslet it growDon't Enforce Absurdity
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Comment #7 posted by p4me on September 28, 2002 at 19:42:32 PT
Now you are catching on, Thanks BGreen
I guess I have just suffered with to much prohibition, that everyone is conditioned to be restrained, polite, and politicly correct. There aren't going to be any corrections or changes to what is as yet unsaid. Now if you want to join the Extremist at our little messaging tonight fine, if not scroll on. This is your last warning to hear the Extremist truth according to me.Well, I am encouraged by the clear thinking of at least one of the people at cannabisnews. The people still use the language of the oppressors and finally someone is thinking straight. BGreen in comment4 finally bumperstickered them with "It's NOT a weed, it's a plant." Finally people are talking straight. Now I know there are not many of us, but we have so few truths that need to pierce the mind of the ignorant and brainwashed, we can succeed and now there is encouragement from outside the party at last. We have shouted T&A everytime those cavedwellers to shut up when they do there children chant and it is working. When they start to chant about mixed messages, all we have to do is shout them back with "Shut up."We have stunned the oppressors, but that is not the object. The object is to restore WeThePeople to the government and have the for,of,and by the People that Lincoln spoke of at Gettysburg. But the war this time is against us all by the economically priveleged. US of America against them of the 1%. It is a class warfare that they do not want, but they brought this war on drugs to put the world at world so they could sell their bombs and profit from the human bodies chemical nature of developing addictions.The War on Drugs is our war US does not stand for United States or Ulyseses S. as in Grant. Good grief, it is us in capital letters- can't you even read. US against them and we outnumber them 99 to 1. We can whip these people that act above the Constitution, giving you two trials for the price of a house, instead of one. It is US against Them. They don't want to call it class warfare, because they don't want to give the brainwashed any ideas. They control Congress. They control the Courts. They control the Military. They control the media. Now do you think they care about the 99% or themselves?Poverty is up. People without jobs is up. People without insurance is up. The national debt is up. But they control people's minds and say be polite or silence those that can think into silence. I mean Congress gives Nancy Reagan the Medal of Freedom for the three words "Just say no." What kind of brainwashed people are in Congress. They and their corporate sponsors spend hundreds of millions a year to say "Don't do drugs." Well I know bumperstickers and that ain't pretty. God dam it, its impossible. Has anyone any where just come out and said in response. God dam it it is impossible to live life and not consume a drug. How fucking brainwashed are you when you don't shake your head and say that is impossible moron.Well, that's how screwed up this country is. "Don't do dope" they slogan you with. Well, I am a professional sloganeer and if I would mock them, I might say to a girl, "Don't do dopes." But you are letting them control your mind with their slogans. Now how hard it it just to say a plain and simple statement. Use their word don't and respond. We are going to use 3 words just like their slogan.Now after this paragraph, don't anyone piss me off by saying, "Don't do drugs." We have the word don't already and need two more words. So, not consuming drugs is impossible and the issue is really about drug abuse, isn't it. Well, the great truth, the simple message , and the slogan has to be, "Don't abuse drugs." I can agree with that. It makes sense. Drug abuse can lead to death and illness. Now, when the brainwashing powers spill their old garbage of don't do drugs, can we as Extremist and dedicated citizens for true free press and a true free country agree we will respond with the words of freedom instead of the words of the oppressors. It's simple and true. Don't abuse drugs.I too was brainwashed, but I came to a new reality. Treason has taken the country away from the people and made it work for the rich. They started this war and we have got to finish it. We can easily crush them with our votes. We have to work on the ignorant and brainwashed and we can do that with truth and clear thinking.Say it straight, say it loud, and say it often. Reason has to surface and we must replace the brainwashing slogans of the oppressors with real truth. We have to recognize the war is against US and we have to identify the enemy and his means as in all wars. We have to do this now and bring oppressed to a new reality.And they say the educational system has failed the children, when everything has failed us. They talk of fundamentalist hijacking Islam, while the fundamentalist hear make policy by mythology. Prohibition is the devil's way, if there were one and the fool's way for those that can think straight. A mind might be a terrible thing to waste and I hope some people at least come to a process of straight thinking. But, the war is about money. Money is a terrible thing to waste when it is yours and it time to get straight with that. Just because the upper 1% want you pay for a police state that can give you two trials instead of one, take good people's property because they dare compete with the government's chosen path of drug money doesn't mean you should buy it. God dammit. Don't buy it. Send it back. Send the politicians that have brought you this tyranny home. And here is an extra God dammit for the fundamentalist just to piss them off. My fellow Extremist. Can I have a Hang them all.And start thinking on this and convert some of the brainwashed. The government conducts their own war on terror on the whole world, and then when someone else has a little terror, the government decides to split forces and attack in both directions. Now they have a war against US and them. Well, isn't that just about everybody.Thank you my fellow Extremist for messaging with me. It gets awfully lonely trying to make sense of a crazy and brainwashed people. Things look bright, there are others besides us that are talking sense. Thank you again and hang them all.1,2
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on September 28, 2002 at 18:26:31 PT
Patrick ... the root of the problem goes farther..
Patrick quote: 
“...It's the restricted freedom to grow a plant that is the root of the prohibition of cannabis...”I want to share with You 2 concepts.1st is that We can also Biblically trace the root of problems. And Biblically, like no other problem(???) We can trace the prohibition of cannabis, PROBLEM, to the very 1st page of the Bible, because that is where God said all the green seed bearing plants were good... That is Gen 1:11-12 & 1:29-30 (the very 1st page, means You don’t even have to remember the verses, huh?) When Christ God said to love Your brother, it is generally assumed that doesn’t include caging Him for using a plant... (as You know).2nd is that I saw this article, while searching at war.com (that one of the activists here passed on to Us), that indicates the origins of prohibited substances, and it goes far past the 1930s. I have said, the prohibition of cannabis is against Christ God and that the prohibition of cannabis is the original living sin. This article exposes a little bit of that flavor. It is titled: Shamanism and the Drug Propaganda: Idolatry http://www.drugwar.com/idolatry.shtm(excerpts)"... This was a cognitio extra ordinem, which, despite its name, became the ordinary form of criminal trial, such as the one Jesus was subjected to before Pilate...... This is quite literally the originary legal precedent upon which contemporary American Prohibition is based..." cont.The root of the prohibition of cannabis, is to be traced far back, perhaps even before the new beginning of what the Bible was meant for. We may have had this problem before Our present conception, and We blew it. The Bible, which is for Our present new beginning, is attempting to right off, and up front, tell Us not to mess with each over plants.  It may be no accident that the Bible, on the very 1st page said ALL THE GREEN IS GOOD...Patrick, I thought I would just share a bit of My thoughts, for You, with love. You may find that You identify.And then, You are right. The present root, currently, may be traced to: restricted freedom; power; corporate greed, etc...
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Comment #5 posted by BGreen on September 28, 2002 at 17:43:34 PT
The Curing and Handling of Commercial Cannabis
I met Mila Jansen from the Pollinator company who has an article in the upcoming issue of Dr. Russos' "Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics." Read Dr. Russos' comment at:http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14225.shtml#8I smelled some leaf material that had been through the hash extraction process, and this plant material, when drying out, smelled like the commercial schwag that most people buy on the amerikan black market.Read about the "Sweat Curing" process and see if that's the way you want your medicine or recreational substance treated.How much of the THC initially present is destroyed by the heat and fermentation? Could this mean that the THC content of cannabis ISN'T that much higher, but that our drying, curing and storage methods have improved significantly?****************************************************************Sweat Curing Sweat curing is the technique most widely used in Colombia. Long branches containing colas are layered in piles about 18 inches high and a minimum of two feet square, more often about ten by fifteen feet. Sweat curing actually incorporates the fermenting process. Within a few hours the leaves begin to heat up from the microbial action in the same way that a compost pile ferments. Then change in colour is very rapid; watch the pile carefully, so that it does not overheat and rot the colas. Each day unpack the piles, and remove the colas that have turned colour. Within four or five days, all the colas will have turned colour. They are then dried. One way to prevent rot while using this method is to place cotton sheets, rags, or paper towels between each double layer of colas. The towels absorb some of the moisture and slow down the process. Sweat curing can be modified for use with as little marijuana as two large plants. Pack the marijuana tightly in a heavy paper sack (or several layers of paper bags), and place it in the sun. The light is converted to heat and helps support the sweat. Another variation of the sweat process occurs when fresh undried marijuana is bricked. The bricks are placed in piles, and they cure while being transported. A simple procedure for a slow sweat cure is to roll fresh marijuana in plastic bags. Each week, open the bag for about an hour to evaporate some water. In about six weeks, the ammonia smell will dissipate somewhat, and the grass should be dried. This cure works well with small quantities of mediocre grass, since it concentrates the material. Sweat Curing Sweat curing is the technique most widely used in Colombia. Long branches containing colas are layered in piles about 18 inches high and a minimum of two feet square, more often about ten by fifteen feet. Sweat curing actually incorporates the fermenting process. Within a few hours the leaves begin to heat up from the microbial action in the same way that a compost pile ferments. Then change in colour is very rapid; watch the pile carefully, so that it does not overheat and rot the colas. Each day unpack the piles, and remove the colas that have turned colour. Within four or five days, all the colas will have turned colour. They are then dried. One way to prevent rot while using this method is to place cotton sheets, rags, or paper towels between each double layer of colas. The towels absorb some of the moisture and slow down the process. Sweat curing can be modified for use with as little marijuana as two large plants. Pack the marijuana tightly in a heavy paper sack (or several layers of paper bags), and place it in the sun. The light is converted to heat and helps support the sweat. Another variation of the sweat process occurs when fresh undried marijuana is bricked. The bricks are placed in piles, and they cure while being transported. A simple procedure for a slow sweat cure is to roll fresh marijuana in plastic bags. Each week, open the bag for about an hour to evaporate some water. In about six weeks, the ammonia smell will dissipate somewhat, and the grass should be dried. This cure works well with small quantities of mediocre grass, since it concentrates the material.
Curing
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Comment #4 posted by BGreen on September 28, 2002 at 15:32:41 PT
The Rest Of The Story, But First My Commentary.
""It's a weed. It's not hard to grow," Shapiro said."It's NOT a weed, it's a plant. The definition of a weed is:"A plant considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome, especially one growing where it is not wanted, as in a garden."The definition of a plant is:"a. Any of various photosynthetic, eukaryotic, multicellular organisms of the kingdom Plantae characteristically producing embryos, containing chloroplasts, having cellulose cell walls, and lacking the power of locomotion. b. A plant having no permanent woody stem; an herb."Now, here's the rest of the story:**************************************************************Libertarian vs. the stateBeing handcuffed is a tough thing to swallow for someone who's passionate about individual freedom."They physically took my liberty from me," Joe Duarte said as he munched gyros at a midtown restaurant this week.
Duarte, a Libertarian running for Congress in Arizona's 8th District, is still stinging from his Aug. 25 arrest outside a gubernatorial debate at Pima Community College. Duarte was protesting his party's exclusion from the debate.Police arrested him when he stepped outside a designated protest area and refused to stop picketing.It's not enough for Duarte that misdemeanor charges against him are being dropped. He wants a public apology from the college, and he wants the school to retrain its police force for protests.Chancellor Robert Jensen says no on both fronts."We feel the campus police did follow the policy," Jensen said.College policies allow "time, place and manner limitations" on protests to "prevent infringement upon the rights of others or interference with the peaceful and lawful use" of the school.Duarte argued that he wasn't bothering anyone and that his only offense was to hold a sign."This is a First Amendment issue," Duarte said. "I don't think these cops understand the greater constitutional context in which they're operating."Duarte said he plans to sue for false imprisonment.
Sweet-and-sour donkeyAt a recent political gathering, there were 10 tables, 50 people, five neckties and untold numbers of shimmering fried wontons.Each Monday, Tucson's loyal Democrats meet in a secluded banquet room at a Chinese buffet restaurant to talk politics. The Democrats of Greater Tucson tout themselves as the only political group in the state that meets weekly.Monday's event will feature Mary Judge Ryan, who's trying to unseat incumbent Republican Jim Kolbe in the 8th Congressional District. Raśl Grijalva, who recently won the Democratic primary in the 7th District, will be there with supporters to stump for Ryan.Lunch starts at noon at Gourmet of China Restaurant, 1145 N. Alvernon Way. The lunch costs $5.76, and everyone is welcome.
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Comment #3 posted by afterburner on September 28, 2002 at 15:28:21 PT:
FoM: don't worry about Coca Cola
Despite the name, it no longer contains any coca. The government made them switch to caffeine some time ago. One interesting note: Coca Cola did at one time consider using guano (dung) from birds that had eaten coffee beans as a source of caffeine. They thought better of it, afraid of negative PR.Peace.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on September 28, 2002 at 13:37:30 PT
Patrick
You're welcome Patrick. I have wondered more then once if the coca that Coca Cola uses could be contaminated by spraying. Would we know about it? I don't think so. Cannabis isn't toxic but even some mold for a person with an immune deficiency can be a serious issue. If people could grow their own purity would be controlled by the individual and more concern would be paid at keeping it free from diseases and potentially toxic agents.
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Comment #1 posted by Patrick on September 28, 2002 at 13:16:45 PT
Supply is not the problem! So True
It's the restricted freedom to grow a plant that is the root of the prohibition of cannabis and all its related collateral damage. Stories like this one spread through mainstream media will change the attitude of average everyday people and changed attitudes will result in changed laws eventually. Thanks FoM.
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